Wall tile clip



April 1943- D. B. ANDERSON 2,317,428

WALL TILE CLIP .Filed Jan. 12, 1.940

. J Z QZ 1 294 18 30 20 17 19 :2; 18 14 65 15 l 16 13 16 28 1.9 26 I g i 27 3 14 A I 10a INVENTOR. Jae/2'01 .13 firzdens'azz ATTORNEY.

Patented Apr. 27; 1943 WALL TILE CLIP David B. Anderson, St. Paul, Minn, assignor to Wood Conversion Company, Cloquet, Minn, a corporation of Delaware Application January 12,1940, Serial No. 313,485

Claims.

The present invention relates to clips for mounting wall-board, or like covering pieces. In particular it relates to mounting such material at its edges, where one piece joins another, when the edges have a tongue and groove joint.

Heretoi'ore, decorative wall board in the forms known as tile and plank have been provided with edges to form a matched joint. For decorative purpo es the joint is often cut away, as by bevelling the joined edges. A tongue and groove joint below the visible bevelled edges has been provided. j

Some types of boards, such as rough-surfaced wall-board, may readily be mounted by nailing to supports with fine brads which form practically invisible holes in the surface due largely to a loose fibrous texture which is disruptable to hide the hole.. However, the advent of surface treated boards of such texture, or use of different types of boards, has made necessary other means of mounting. Devices for mounting the boards at edges have lately appeared, and other forms are well known, but these have defects. For example, the device shown in Morton et a1. U. 8. Patent No. 283,012, is suitable only for holding the grooved edge, and it provides no hold on the tongued piece. The grooved piece holds the tongue piece, and hence the clip holds the latter only by indirection. Such a structure for many wall-boards is highly unsuitable for several reasons. Its use is limited to application of the piece with a groove. and cannot be used in a circumstance where the tongued piece is already mounted. Many types 01 boards shrink. The bevel form of tongue and groove for which said Morton et a1. device is particularly adapted, will lessen the full value of the clip on shrinkage oi the board. shrinkage of either piece to move the edges away from the initial mounted relations, will cause the shrinking piece to lift.

The devices according to the Tummins Patent No. 2,174,145 are for the same bevel type of groove, but improve upon the Morton et al. clip in providing a direct support for the tongued piece. This is done by a tang carried by the piece which mounts the grooved piece. The tang is struck from the clip in a position to penetrate the edge of the tongued piece and thus hold it. The Tummlns clip likewise permits a shrinking board to lift. Furthermore its use is limited to board which is easily penetrated.

It is limited to application first of the grooved piece, followed by the tongued piece. In addition, its use weakens the board by penetration of the tang, and a board may have its surface damaged accidentally, by inserting a tang.

The present invention aims to provide a clip which gives direct support to two joined pieces having a tongue andgroove, without penetrating the board.

Another object of the invention is to provide 3 a mounting clip for a tongue and groove wherein the tongue and groove eachhave a More in the joint which is parallel with the plane of the board, and in position to be clamped down to a support by an overlying part of the clip.

' Still another object of the invention is to provide a clip which may be applied first to the grooved piece to receive the tongued piece, and to provide a clip which may be applied first to the tongued piece to receive the grooved piece.

Still another object of the invention is to provide a single clip which may be-used first on either form to receive the other form.

Another object of the invention is the pro vision of a clip which lies in the joint of joined wallboard pieces and which terminates within the joint so as not to be visible at the visible junction of the pieces.

Various otherand ancillary objects and advantages of the invention will become apparent from the following description and explanation of the invention made with reference tothe secompanying drawing, in which:

Fig. 1. represents a clip to receive a tongued board edge after the clip is mounted.

Fig. 2 is a cross-section of a joint showing the clip of Fig. 1.

Fig. 3 represents a clip to receive a'grooved board edge afterthe clip is mounted.

Fig. 4 is a cross-section of a joint showing the clip of Fig. 3. I

Fig. 5 is a preferred form of the invention corm bining the utilityof the two specific forms.

Fig. 6 shows a modification for insuring a better grip fit on the tongue or in the groove.

The clip in detailed structure follows the outline of the joint as itis defined by the specific character of the tongue and the groove. For purposes of explanations tongue having two parallel sides is illustrated, with a proper groove to receive it, because the clip for such a joint holds the board to the support even when the board shrinks.

For this reason, the board preferred for the invention is one having that sort of tongue and sroove joint.

In Fig. 1 the numeral It indicates a part of the clip which is adapted to be mounted to a suitable support, either by a nail or other means.

Preferably it is a flatpiece of thin .sheet metal with a nail slot II for nail l2 (Fig. 2). The clip is preferably made by bending a strip of sheet metal to provide a second section I! adapted to lie vertically in the Joint. Then a third section I4 is formed horizontally to lie in the groove of board It (Fig. 2). A fourth section l5 crosses the bottom of said groove, preferably vertically and at a point to accommodate entry of the tongue I! on board H. A flfth SCtionillies ing longer on the underside at the lace side.

against the upper side of the, groove. The 'zjnetal terminates within the outline'of the'gr'oove so that it is not visible at the joint posed side. v

By the structure described the parts Ik-IF-Is form a rectan lar channel member, whlchboth fits the groove and encompasses the tongue to hold both matched pieces tightly to the base. It is clear that the horizontal parts II and II, which are parallel with the support 2| on which base .i. is mounted, permit shrinkage of either board without lifting of the edges at the Joint.

From the limitations of the device in Fig. i it is obvious that its'use is limited to applying the tongued member after the other member and clip are mounted. Many times areverse operation is required or is desired, so that for such operation another form of clip is used as shown in Figs. 3 and 4. This has base I! and the remaining parts as designated in Fig. l. The base I0 is on the same side of section If as the channelstructure ll-lt-IQ. Its use is clearly indicated in Fig. 4.

The form of Fig. 3 is preferred over the form of Fig. 1 because'the base l0 projects less from a board on which it is mounted than the form of Fig. 1.

In each case when the clip may be mounted in the' groove or on the tongue by a helper and passed to the installer, the assembly is top-heavy. The clip may fall or be shifted leading to diillculties in use. However, in the form of Fig. 5 a clip is provided which produces a more secure and more balanced mounting on either board, and 'it'is equally useful on either board. In this form .the only difference is in the bases, there being a base oneach side of the web l3. 7

In effect the base II or II". of the single forms is split into'two bases 23 and 24. base 23. corresponding to base l0, and base 24 corresponding to base i0. Thus, in either usage there is a long leg of the clip on the back of the tile, to be mounted, as a counterweight for the remainder of the clip, and providing also a second hold on a portion of the edge of a board. In use on a tongued board, the tongue is encompassed by the channel l9i6ll, andpart of the edge is encompassed by the faces I! and 23. on the grooved board, the groove receives the channel |9-ii| and one of the lips of the edge is encompassed by the channel lli3-24.

The particular ton ue and groove for which the preferred form of the clip'has been designed, is shown in the drawing, and the parts are designated in Fig. 4. The board is Y: inch thick. The groove of board I5 is 1'; inch across and has a rectangular cross-section /4 inch deep. The tongue has the corners beveled as shown at 26 and 21, the top bevel 2i being longer for clearance in mounting. The tip 28 of the tongue, has

a clearance from the bottom of the groove of about $64 inch, and the ton e has a clearance by its thickness upto 364 inch with the groove. The lower lip 29 of the grooved edge has a clearanc of about 3, inch from the portion 30 of the tongued piece by'reason of the tongue beon the ex- In use- These clearances readily accommodate a thickness of metal for the clip, and permit some rounding in the angles of the clip.

Thin metal, such as .02 inch thick, is desired fications on faces which may be advantageously Joint, is required as where a tang must be forced so modified. It is modifications in one structure.

In Fig. 6,.the clip has the one base 3! with the upset crimp to grip the back of the tile, and the second base 01 with an upset lug ll. The connecting web ll Joins the channel face ll, on which are shown two such lugs II.- The channel bottom 42 Joins the channel side '48, which is crimpe'd at M. A suitable structure for the Joint specifically described is a clip as in- Fig. '5 of metal .02 inch thick with the face ll (Fig. 5) crimped as inch.

In operation with the preferred form of Fig. 5. but one typeo! clip need be provided.- A helper may apply clips to a piece .to be mountedand they are more secure in handling until mounted by the op r tor. No care is required to select the proper clip. No special caution in matching the not necessary to utilize all the into the edge of the board as it is applied.

In applying an area of tile the applicator will use the clip of Fig. 0 first in the groove edge about half the area, and on the ton ue edge for the rest of the area. In order to facilitate a quick determination of which end of the clip to place over the edge of the tile, one of the bases 23 and 24 is rounded as shown.

The illustrated forms of the clip avoid many of the disadvantages of prior clips. For example, in any application of a clip to a tile edge, there is a gripping hold to keep it in place, relieving the applicator from holding it in place until it is nailed to a support. The slot permits an adjustment of position after starting the nail.

It is obvious that use of the clip is not limited by the character of the material to be mounted.

but only by the form of Joint. Porcelain tile may readily be mounted, when providing a tongue and groov which has a clearance for the clip. Wallboard of ordinary varieties, or even wood, does not require such a clearance for thin clips, because of a natural resiliency which'pe'rmits it to yield to accommodate the clip of properdimen sions for the Joint employed.

Numerous changes and modifications may be made without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention as set forth in the accom- I claim: I

1. A fastener for pieces of wallboard and the like for mounting two such places having edges provided respectively with tongue and groove for a matched joint, said fastener comprising a piece of sheet metal having a base adapted to lie flush on a face of a piece of wallboard'to be mounted, saidbasebeing adaptedtobesecuredtoa'support on which the pieces of wallboard areto be mounted, said metal having an integral part shaped to follow the outline of the joint between the matched tongue and groove, one portion of the metal being in position to overlie within the at M (Fig. 6) to raise it about .012 V asm ss joint interface a portion of the piece of wallboard defining the groove, and another portion "of the metal being in position to overlie a portionof the said'to'ngue when the said tongue lies in'the joint interface, the metal piece terminatir'ig at least not beyond the edge of the outline of the joint and at a-pointto avoid visibility of the metal of the fastener in the Joint from the .exposed side of the Joined mountedpieces of wallboard.

2. A fastener for pieces of wallboard and the like for mounting two such pieces having edges provided respectively with tongue and groove for a matched joint, said fastener comprising a piece of sheet metal having a base adapted to lie flush on a face ofa piece of wallboard to be mounted, said base being adapted to be secured to a support on which the pieces of wallboard are to be mounted, said metal having an integral part shaped to provide a portion to enter the groove while lying in the joint interface and to hold the grooved piece of wallboard to said support, and said metal having another integral part having a portion to overlie a portion of the, tongue and to lie in the joint interface to hold the tongued piece of wallboard to said support.

3. A fastener for pieces of wallboard and the like for mounting two such pieces having edges provided respectively with tongue and groove, each having parallel sides, for a matched joint, said fastener comprising a piece of sheet metal having a base adapted to lie flush on a face of a piece of wailboard to be mounted, said base being adapted to be secured to a support on which the pieces of wallboard are to be mounted, a web integral with said base positioned to lie perpendicularly to said base, a second web integral with said first web and parallel to said base to lie against the side of the groove nearest said base, said web being extended to cross said groove at a depth therein and to contact the other side of said groove and there provide a terminal end on the fastener parallel to said base and extending toward said first web," whereby the resulting channel form of a portion of the fastener is piece of wallboard and in surface contact therewith,and abase-for extending under the other Joined-piece of wallboard and .in surface contact therewi-th at" least one of-said bases being adapted to be mounted to a support to holdthe joined pieces of wallboard to the support;

i 6. A mounting fastener for two pieces of wallboard and the like made of vyleldable material and having edges provided respectively ,with tongue and groove for a matched joint, said fastener comprising a sheet metal structure having one portion shaped to lie wholly within the joint interface of two Joined pieces of wallboard and to hook over said tongue and to fit into said groove when applied to unmounted pieces of wallboard which'form the said Joint, and a portion providing a substantially flat base adapted to lie flush on the back of the unmounted piece to which the fastener may be applied, at least one of the portions of the sheet metal structure which contacts a piece of wallboard being upset to increase the effective thickness of the metal and to depress the yieldable material.

'7. A fastener for pieces of wallboard and the like having edges provided respectively with tongue and groove for a matched joint, said fastener comprising a sheet metal structure having.

a flat base positioned to lie flush against a face of at least one of said pieces of wallboard, said basebeing adapted to be secured to a support on which the pieces of wallboard are to be mounted. a web integral with said piece positioned to extend laterally from said base to enter intoand lie wholly within the joint space between mounted pieces, said webproviding a hook-like structure to fit into the groove of one piece of wallboard and over the tongue of the other piece of the wallboard in such manner as to mount each joined piece independently of the other.

8. A fastener for pieces of wallboard and the like having edges provided respectively with tongue and groove for a matched joint, said fastener comprising a piece of sheet metalhaving a adapted to encompass said parallel-sided tongue of the other piece of wallboard to mount the tongue to said support by the fastener.

4. A fastener for pieces of wallboard and the like having edges provided respectively with tongue and groove for a matched joint, said fastener comprising a ribbon-like strip of sheet metal to provide the following parts in the order listed: a first section providing a base adapted to lie flush on a face of a piece of wallboard to be mounted, said base being adapted to be secured to a support on which a piece of wallboard is to be mounted, a second section perpendicular to the first section, a third section parallel to the first section, a fourth section parallel to the second section, and a fifth section parallel to and above the third section, the last three of said sections forming a channel-like recess adapted to encompass "a tongue of matched edges and to lie in a groove of said matched edges, and the second section being of height adapted to cause the fastener to hold the matched edges tightly to the said support.

5. A mounting fastener for pieces of wallboard and the like having edges provided respectively with tongue and groove for a matched Joint, said fastener comprising a portion to fit wholly in the joint interface to hold both of the pieces of wallbo'ard in mounted position when the Joint is complete, a base for extending under one Joined face.

base with twoycoplanarportions adapted to lie flush against the rear faces of the two -Joined pieces of wallboard and adapted to be secured to a support onwhich said two pieces of wallboard are to be mounted, a web integral with said base positioned to extend laterally from said base to enter into and lie wholly within the Joint space between mounted pieces of wallboard, the

end of said web'having a hook-like structure to' fit into the groove of one piece and over the tongue of the other piece in such manner as to mount each joined piece of wallboard independently of the other.

9. In combination with two pieces of wallboard or the like having edges provided respectively with tongue and groove for a matched joint, a mounting fastener-for said pieces, said fastener having a hook-like portion with a contour to at into and lie wholly within the Joint interface of said two pieces of wallboard with one part of said hook-like portion in the groove and also hooking over a tongue in such manner as to mount each joined piece by the fastener indeendently of the other Joined piece, said fastener having also a flat base carrying said hook-like portion, said base lying flush against a rear face of at least one of said pieces of wallboard when said pieces of wallboard are joined and when said hook-like portion lies in said joint inter- 10. In combination with two pieces of wallboard or the like having edges provided respectively with tongue and aroove for a matched joint. a mounting fastener for said pieces of wallboard, said fastener having a hook-like portion with a contourtontinto andliewhoilywitninthejoint interface of'said pieces of wallboard with one part of said portion in the groove-and hookin:

over a tongue in such manner a. to mount each Joined piece of wailboarsi by the fastener inde- 

